Amway is back in court over a dispute with record companies tied to a copyright infringement case settled 16 years ago.
The multi-level marketing giant is suing UMG Recordings Inc., Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group Corp., for violating a 1998 settlement, which required them to provide notice of copyright infringement allegations by Amway distributors so the Ada-based company could investigate and stop them, reportsLaw360.
Instead music companies worked together to conceal the information for at least 18 months before ambushing Amway with numerous complaints, according to the suit filed by Amway’s parent company, Alticor Corp., in April in Orlando, Fla.
Earlier this month, a federal judge in Orlando declined to throw out the case but narrowed the copyright-related suit, Alticor Inc. v. UMG Recordings Inc., according to Bloomberg.
“Amway is pleased that the Court upheld our filing of the breach of contract claim and that the case will continue to move forward,” the company said in a statement to MLive. “We remain confident in our case and our efforts, including policies and training programs, to educate employees and distributors about the proper use of copyrighted materials.”
In 1998, Amway agreed to pay $9 million to settle a lawsuit that alleges Amway and some of
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Dick Vitale Accepts $25,000 Donation For His Charity From It Works!
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Dick Vitale’s relentless passion for finding a cure for pediatric cancer is spreading from his home base in Lakewood Ranch to Palmetto.
The well-known ESPN college basketball broadcaster and Ranch resident recently accepted a $25,000 donation from It Works! Global for his favorite charity, The V Foundation, which raises money for pediatric cancer research.
It Works! Global, a worldwide direct sales marketer of beauty, wellness and weight loss products, headquartered in Palmetto, gave the donation to Vitale last weekend during the company’s Green Carpet Experience annual corporate sales event, which drew a crowd of 4,000 to the Bradenton area.
The company raised money by asking the sales force in attendance to make a donation in exchange for an It Works! Gives Back Foundation T-shirt. CEO Mark Pentecost has worked with Vitale in the past through the Dick Vitale Gala for The V Foundation, which Vitale hosts every year in Sarasota. Pentecost and his wife, Cindy moved to Manatee County three years ago hoping to become involved.
“We chose Manatee, not only because it is a destination location, but it is a community where we could make a difference. At It Works!, we want to be known for giving back to the community and making
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Zija’s Fast Start Commissions Promotion Creates Monumental Rank Advancements
by Nicole Dunkley • • 0 Comments
Zija International recently introduced a new promotion called “Fast Start Commissions (FSC),” which has helped many of the company’s Independent Distributors rise in rank quickly to reach the higher levels of the Zija compensation plan:
Takashi Ichikawa from Japan, Diamond Elite
Yukiko Hazemoto from Japan, Double Diamond
Miyoko Watanabe from Japan, Double Diamond
Tomas Chapa from the United States, Double Diamond
Landon Weaver from the United States, Diamond
Yoshie Watanabe from Japan, Diamond
Jessica Ellerman from the United States, Diamond
Eddy Tan from Malaysia, Emerald
Eiko Kojima from Japan, Emerald
Tomoaki Nakano from Japan, Platinum
Hanne Meier Olsen from Norway, Platinum
Keisuke Yanagi from Japan, Platinum
This impressive growth comes as a predecessor to other exciting announcements from Zija International—including new product divisions and other changes aimed at growth—which will be announced at the company’s international convention, Zija Summit 2014, this September in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.
About Zija International
Zija International Located in Lehi, Utah, develops natural, earth-friendly health, wellness, nutrition and fitness products. Zija currently operates in 50+ countries worldwide through its global family of Independent Distributors.
Although the company has been in business for only a few short years, it has experienced impressive growth year after year and been recognized as one of the fastest-growing and top-revenue companies by Inc.
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NFL Player Shares How Isagenix Helped During ACL Recovery
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
“I tore my ACL two years ago and spent half of the season in 2012 in rehab,” explains former Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Martin. “I was doing my rehab and getting back in shape at the gym to give the NFL another run when I noticed that the owner was selling Isagenix.”
Martin thought it was another “one of those things” and didn’t pay much attention to the product. While building muscle for recovery, Martin was frequently in and out of many gyms. That’s when he noticed Isagenix popping up at fitness centers.
“The trainers were getting results with Isagenix,” shares the free agent for the NFL. “But, again, I chalked it up to, ‘You only drink a shake instead of eating food. Of course you’re going to lose weight.’”
Martin shrugged it off without understanding the system, especially since he wasn’t looking to lose weight. It wasn’t until another trip to a different gym that he noticed Isagenix showing up again.
“With reputable gyms supporting these products, it seemed liked I should give it try without jumping to conclusions about the system only being about weight loss,” shares Martin.
The Optimum Zone
Martin himself was looking to gain muscle through Isagenix due to his
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Arbonne Joins Council For Responsible Nutrition
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Arbonne Joins Council for Responsible Nutrition
Arbonne has become a member of the highly regarded Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN). “We are proud to be a new member of the Council for Responsible Nutrition,” said Michael D’Arminio, Arbonne Sr. VP and Chief Creative Officer. “Transparency and honesty are two important hallmarks of our product integrity.
Like the CRN, Arbonne is committed to best practices and manufacturing dietary supplements that meet the highest standards in quality and efficacy. So it made perfect sense for Arbonne to join the Council for Responsible Nutrition and to hold hands in the mission to responsibly develop, manufacture and distribute dietary supplements and nutritional ingredients.”
About the CRN
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), founded in 1973, is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing 100+ dietary supplement manufacturers, ingredient suppliers, and companies providing services to those manufacturers and suppliers.
In addition to complying with a host of federal and state regulations governing dietary supplements in the areas of manufacturing, marketing, quality control and safety, our manufacturer and supplier members also agree to adhere to additional voluntary guidelines as well as to CRN’s Code of Ethics.
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Amway India’s CEO Released From Jail After 2 Months
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Direct-selling company Amway India on Monday said its MD and CEO William S Pinckney has been released on bail, two months after his arrest by Andhra Pradesh Police in connection with criminal cases registered against the firm in the state.
A spokesperson of Amway said Pinckney has been granted bail in all the cases in Andhra Pradesh.
Commenting on the development in a joint statement, Amway chairman Steve Van Andel and president Doug DeVos said: “The release of Amway India CEO Bill Pinckney is a great relief.”
They, however, added they were “profoundly dismayed that this unnecessary detention occurred at all, and are even more troubled that it lasted so long”.
Amway regional president, Europe, South Africa & India Samir Behl said: “His arrest and long detention was unnecessary and unreasonable. We will vigorously defend ourselves at trial.”
Pinckney was arrested on May 26 from Amway India’s headquarters at Gurgaon and later was produced before a court in district Kurnool, which sent him to judicial custody after rejecting his bail plea.
He was subsequently arrested in other criminal cases registered against him in the state on allegations of financial irregularities by Amway, a charge contested by the company.
“Our focus is squarely on efforts to ensure that
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Herbalife Q2 Earnings – $1.3 Billion Revenue + 7%
by Ted Nuyten • • 0 Comments
Herbalife Ltd. Announces Second Quarter 2014 Results and Raises 2014 Earnings Guidance
Second quarter worldwide volume growth of 5 percent compared to the prior year period.
Adjusted1 EPS of $1.55 increased 10 percent compared to the prior year. Reported EPS of $1.31 primarily reflects the impact of the non-cash costs associated with the convert and other items.
Raising FY’14 adjusted diluted EPS guidance to a range of $6.17 to $6.32.
Repurchased $581 million or 9.8 million shares during the quarter.
Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) today reported second quarter net sales of $1.3 billion, reflecting an increase of 7 percent compared to the same time period in 2013 on volume point growth of 5 percent. Adjusted1 net income for the quarter of $141.4 million, or $1.55 per diluted share, compares to 2013 second quarter adjusted net income of $150.7 million, or $1.41 per diluted share. On a reported basis, second quarter 2014 net income of $119.5 million, or $1.31 per diluted share compares to $143.2 million, or $1.34 per diluted share for the same period in 2013.
“Herbalife has once again delivered strong results in sales and profitability while demonstrating our continued ability to enhance our earnings per share,” said Michael Johnson, Herbalife’s chairman and CEO. “Our
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Thirty-One Gifts Host 15,000 Attendees At Their Convention
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Unicorns, confetti — and three-quarters of a billion dollars in sales in the past year.
Columbus-based direct-sales powerhouse Thirty-One Gifts brought 15,000 members of its independent sales force together yesterday at Nationwide Arena with the fervor of a rock concert to celebrate a banner year and introduce products.
It served as the opening session of the company’s national conference that continues through Sunday.
Cindy Monroe, the company’s founder, president and CEO, fed the frenzy, strolling onto the stage and declaring “We’re all really passionate — and we love to hug,” drawing a roar.
Clearly, the sales force is likewise enthusiastic about its products: personalized bags and home decor, mostly sold through in-home parties. Thirty-One Gifts sales consultants held 1 million parties, served 8 million customers and reported $740 million in sales, senior staff member Anthony McIntosh told the crowd.
While the top sales consultant averaged $11,664 per month and the company’s top sales team sold $2.4 million of merchandise, the typical house party sells $600 worth of merchandise, and the average item sells for $25, “which means we sell a lot of bags,” spokeswoman Sara West said.
The numbers made Thirty-One Gifts the 17th-largest direct-sales company in the world, according to Direct Sales magazine. Sales during the past four
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Visalus’ Peter Bunting Talks About Mentorship
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
In 2005 Vi 2-Star Ambassador Peter Bunting was at the wrong place at the right time.
Wrong place because bankruptcy was looming over his shoulder, and right time because Vi was taking its first steps as a company.
“I was coaching soccer in San Diego,” Peter says. “I would take any job so I could make some money and still have time to train and play.”
But reality set in. “I had a lot of credit card debt and was three months away from filing for bankruptcy,” he says. Peter needed to act fast to get back on his feet, and Vi was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“I had never seen anything like Vi. I was an elite-level athlete and knew what it took to be successful,” he says.
But achieving his goals required strategy, discipline and sacrifices. “I wouldn’t be successful Challenging others without my soccer experience. It was training for Vi.”
It Started with Mentorship
“I tried going back into the corporate world, but I knew that I would reach a ceiling and somebody else was going to benefit more than me,” he says. “And I didn’t want that.”
Peter’s good friend mentioned The Challenge and put him in touch with Vi Co-Founder and
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Isagenix Building New Home Office
by Tina Williams • • 0 Comments
Gilbert’s vision for an enormous employment center along the Santan Freeway is gaining steam with the announcement of a corporate headquarters and about 400 jobs in a relocation of health-product company Isagenix International from Chandler.
Isagenix, a network-marketing company with a presence in 11 countries, will be the first major tenant in the Rivulon mixed-use center near Gilbert Road and Loop 202.
Nationwide Realty Investors, a development arm of the well-known insurance company, will complete a three-story, 150,000-square-foot office building for the company by late 2015.
Isagenix is a privately-held business that reported more than $500 million in revenue from April 2013 to April 2014. Founded in 2002, the company has done more than $2 billion in sales with products in weight-loss, energy and anti-aging.
As part of a multi-level direct sales company, Isagenix associates earn money by selling the company’s health products, enrolling other associates and receiving commissions from teams they assemble beneath them. Amway is one of the best-known multi-level marketing companies.
The company has operations in the United States, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Mexico, Singapore, Malaysia, Columbia, Puerto Rico and soon Vietnam.